Report: Texas is the nation’s most valuable college football team at $139 million

Forbes released its annual list of the most valuable college football teams Wednesday and for the fifth straight year, the newly coachless Texas Longhorns are worth more than any team in the country.

The Longhorns are worth a whopping $139 million, “almost 20% more than any other team in the country,” the report says. The Longhorns are the only college football team to pass $100 million in revenue, a feat they have accomplished the last two seasons.

The team’s value is “built on the back of the nation’s most dedicated fan base, which has helped Texas lead all schools in merchandise sales and secure the most lucrative school-specific TV deal,” the report says.

In a year where no team made more than $90 million, the Longhorns brought in an income of $109 million. The revenue came mainly from ticket sales ($34.5 million), while also collecting “$30 million from contributors and another $15 million from Big 12 and NCAA distributions.”

College football’s second most valuable team is the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at $117 million after hosting an additional home game at Soldier Field and netting a $6.2 million payout from last year’s BCS National Championship appearance.

After winning a third National Championship in four years, Alabama jumped from sixth to third this year with a $110 million value.

Forbes considers “each team’s value to its athletic department, its university’s academic endeavors, its conference and its school’s local economy” while also consulting team revenues and expenses as reported to the Department of Education in order to determine the value of these teams.